Great time to invest in community

Sunday

Nov 30, 2008 at 12:01 AM

Be Our Guest: Paul Morse

In these uncertain economic times, it can be difficult to decide where to invest your hard earned dollars. Many investments will take years to see an adequate or even positive return on your investment. With fewer funds available to invest, your choices become even more critical.My suggestion is that you consider making an investment in Henderson County. Make an investment that will help our elderly stay independent and thriving in our community. Make an investment that will help our children prepare for a successful future as adults. Make an investment that will give hope to the less fortunate, and a path to self-sufficiency. Make an investment in a community that takes care of its own when someone needs a helping hand. Make an investment through the United Way of Henderson County.At United Way of Henderson County, we have a staff of professionals and a team of dedicated volunteers who are your stewards to make sure your investments deliver on the promise for a better future for Henderson County.This year we have allocated funds to 52 programs at 28 non-profit agencies. Fifty community volunteers oversee this allocation process and make sure these programs deliver the promised outcomes to the community. This accountability to the community is a fundamental promise that we make to our investors.Last year the request for funding to our programs was $2.2 million. We raised a record $1.9 million. We knew this year would be tougher due to these difficult economic times. In spite of this, we took the challenge to push for $2.2 million to meet 100 percent of community requests.We’re falling short and need your help! Our current projections based on preliminary results from our corporate and residential campaigns are that we will close the campaign just over $1.7 million dollars. There is still time to close this gap before this year ends. Please consider making an investment in Henderson County now that helps us address the unmet needs of our residents. If you are an existing United Way investor, please consider increasing that investment in a year where the needs are growing rapidly due to the deteriorating economy. If you are not an investor, we need you now more than ever, and promise you a healthy return on your investment. Mail your community investment to United Way of Henderson County, PO Box 487, Hendersonville NC 28793. Your investment today will make for a brighter tomorrow in Henderson County!

Paul F. Morse is CEO of GE Lighting Systems and United Way of Henderson County board chairman.

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